Revelation 17 - The Church - God's Pure Bride
When we find ourselves in life's storms, we press on and encourage other believers to do likewise. Hurricanes, floods, sickness, death, and every obstacle may be overcome through the comfort and strength of Christ our King. We know very well (James 1) that when our faith is tested by trials it produces endurance; so we keep running, keep fighting. We let endurance do her glorious work in us. As God's church, we grow and mature in faith and trust in Jesus. May God bless those who call to Him for help today. May they, despite the circumstances, do more for Christ than they could have hoped or imagined possible. We lack nothing if we have Jesus - and we do have Jesus.
Lord Jesus, please give us a spirit of wisdom and understanding of Your revelation, a mind of understanding enlightened by the Spirit of Christ. Let us hear our calling and know your hope and inheritance. Help us to examine all things by Scripture - holding fast to the good and abstaining from every form of evil.
Lord God, may we be abounding in the work of the Almighty today - steadfast, immovable, resilient, and know that our work is not in vain. May we be men and women of action, self-controlled, overflowing with love, and setting our hope fully on the grace brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
As you know, I'm no theologian. But my assessment is that even a Saskatchewanian goalie can connect God's judgments in Ezekiel 16 with the judgments fulfilled in Revelation 16 and 17. You understand the old with the new - and vice versa. Even to back up one chapter in Ezekiel is important. That is, in Ezekiel 15 God Almighty makes a devastating prophecy. "And this is what the Sovereign LORD says: The people of Jerusalem are like grapevines growing among the trees of the forest. Since they are useless, I have thrown them on the fire to be burned. And I will see to it that if they escape from one fire, they will fall into another. When I turn against them you will know that I am the LORD. And I will make the land desolate because my people have been unfaithful to me. I, the Sovereign LORD have spoken!" (Ezekiel 15:6-8).
Scripture is inerrant. It is the powerful word of God. Jerusalem's full value, existence, and beauty were from its Creator. But Jerusalem, God's jewel, thought nothing of God and believed its beauty was its own and she worshiped invented gods and even sacrificed her children to these gods. Worse than a prostitute Jerusalem paid and bribed other nations to commit adultery with her (Ezekiel 16:34). God said He would bring rightful judgment against Jerusalem for its sin - the murder, idolatry, and adultery. God desires a people of faith and trust in Him - there is no relationship without trust and mutual love.
God loves His prized possession, the church - those who believe in Jesus Christ. He loves us so much that He gave His life for us and calls us His own. In Ephesians 5 God calls the church “holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word” (5:26). Only through the righteousness of Christ are the people of God His “glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault” (5:27). Thanks be to God! That should encourage us amid any trial.
The woman, the great prostitute referred to in Revelation 17 we are told received the just punishment of God for committing adultery with the various “kings of the world” (17:2). In the war with the Romans the Judeans rebelled against Emperor Nero. Still, the Sanhedrin, which was supposed to be loyal to God alone, also relied on Nero for her power. In those ancient times it was extremely dangerous to be a Christian (it still can be). Jewish zealots, like Saul of Tarsus, were persecuting and killing Christ's followers (Acts 7, 8, and 22 and 2 Corinthians 11). Jesus condemned such religious hypocrites who would not repent of their sins and believe in the Messiah.
Whether your worldview is that of Covenant theology or Kingdom theology (I believe both are orthodox and sound biblical views) you can see how the vision of the Apostle John given in this chapter is about the judgment of both the “woman” and the “beast” (apostate Israel and the Roman Empire under the spirit of the devil). The Sanhedrin and the Caesars had all the power it seemed for it was rather easy to attack defenseless sheep - the Christians. But the Lamb of God defeated those who attacked the church (and He still does today!). The “great city” or “woman” (Rev. 11:7 and 17:18) is Jerusalem, the “city where their Lord was crucified.” Elijah and Moses, who both trusted God represent the prophets and the law. The old covenant was made obsolete (Hebrews 8:13), replaced with the greater and new covenant of the blood of Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:27).
Our fight is not with people - God loves all people. It is with the powers of the spiritual realm that John saw in this chapter 17 vision (see also Ephesians 6:12). God’s Kingdom is advancing amongst the “masses of people of every nation and language” (Rev. 17:15).
Sinners need redemption - that’s God’s honest truth (Genesis through Revelation). God wins. But He also judges. Don’t fall for the false teachers, addicted to power and greed, that make up creative stories twisting Ezekial 37-39 to mean something it simply does not say or predict. These teachers call Jesus a liar and false prophet. Jesus warned the first-generation believers of the looming destruction of the old covenant, Jerusalem, and the Temple (all of which occurred in AD 70 just as He said it would). Jesus said it “must soon take place.” Jesus does not lie. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Rev. 19:15-18).
Remember the Sanhedrin people yelling “We will take responsibility for his death - we and our children!” (Matthew 27:25). Indeed Jesus was flogged with a led-tipped whip and crucified. He died yet by the Holy Spirit rose to life (Matthew 26:32). And indeed, as John the Apostle saw, the judgment of God did fall on those that crucified Christ.
In Ezekial 16 and Revelation 16 and 17, we hear about the prostitute who commits adultery with the kings of the world. The harlot, apostate Israel, not only prostitutes herself with the kings of Egypt, Philistine, Assyria, and Babylon but also Rome. Remember, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15). If you’ve read the book of Hosea in the Bible you know who the harlot is, ancient Israel, Gomer (Hosea 9:1). Jeremiah too tells of the adultery of the prostitute (2:20-24 and 3:2-3). Ezekiel says the prostitution in Jerusalem was so bad it would make Sodom and Samaria blush (Ezekiel 23).
What God said in Ezekiel 15 about Jerusalem escaping from one fire and falling into another is true. Before the new covenant of Jesus' blood (Matthew 26:27) the harlot of apostate Israel resulted in the Assyrian exile of the northern kingdom of Israel in BC 722 and the Babylonian exile of Judah in 597 BC. Daniel too saw the future events including the rebuilding and final destruction of the Temple and the wars and then freedom for the people of Jerusalem under Judas Maccabeus in 165 BC. We are not yet at the Return of the King - the final Judgment day spoken of many places in Scripture (including 2 Peter 3 and Matthew 25:33). But the judgment that Jesus said would fall on the generation of the first century after Jesus death and ascension (Matthew 23:36) did indeed fall upon Jerusalem as Jesus said it would.
The time has now come where true worshipers of the Almighty will worship the Father in spirit and truth (John 4:22-30). There is only one way to the Father - through the Son (John 14:6). Thank God that we are under the new Covenant of Jesus Christ and that God reigns in heaven today as He builds His Kingdom one believer at a time.
God in heaven, please have mercy on us today - may we be used by You to build Your Kingdom. Amen
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